Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-01-27
CAUGHT ON CORNERS.
WHAT WAS SAID TO LEDGER RE.
P0RTERs YESTERDAY AND
TODAY.
views on the Interstate Commerce Bill
Mexico Boy on the Mail Servioe-
Other Readable squibs.

Depot: The Interstate Commerce
Bill, (Which only requires the sigma
ture of the President to become a
law seems to be the principal topic
OF conversation among all classes.
While it will cause q reimbursement
OF rates to considerable extent, the
prevalent idea that it will reduce
them is far from the truth. In fact,
In many cases it will have a tendency
to increase through rates, as, for in
stance, where the local traffic is in
excess of the through busin, IS il
will be to the interest of the rail-
roads to increase the long haul rates,
rather than lower the rates for shorter
distances, and in this way all the re-
quirements of the long and short
haul clause of the bill can be fulfilled.
Again, there is a possibility that on
foreign traffic, both passenger and
freight, itmay result, in some cases,
in the adding of locals as the basis
for through rates. To illustrate, we
will use a freight shipment to New
York, consigned via the Wabash; the
rate from Mexico to ST. Louis would
be the full local rate, then from st.
Louis to East st. Louis, the bridge
arbitrary East st. Louis to Indianap-
oils, over the Vandalia, full rate !;
Indianapolis to Columbus via Gin
cinnati, Indianapolis & St. Louis &
Chicago, full rate again; Columbus,
to Pittsburg using the Pittsburg,
Cincinnati & st. Louis at regular
local rate; Pittsburg to New York,
via the Pennsylvania road with that
company's full proposition. Now
add all these local rates together and
we will get an amount in most ship
ments that will greatly exceed the
value of the freight placed in New
York. This is within the bounds of
the bill. In preventing pooling, the
bill simply does that which pools are
principally created to prevent and so
frequently fail and that is cutting
rates. Such a result will be beneficial
to shippers and the roads alike. 1t
is a mistaken idea that railroads are
endeavoring to accomplish the ruin
of the commerce of this country. 1t
is a self-evident fact that it is entirely
to their interest to advance the COM
mercial Importance of the United
States just as much as possible. Do,
ing away with the rebates is the best
feature of the bill. Small wholesale
firms will now be on an equal footing
with their larger competitors.
M. AcCloud, Of New York: I
have followed the business of distri-
butlng free sample copies of story
papers and the like for a good many
many years. 1 am now at work on
the Golden Argosy. There are twelve
of Us fellows on that paper in my
line, and l tell you, the number of
printed sheets we give away would
surprise you. For instance, in Kan
sas City. we gave away about 10000,
in Sedalia, 5000, in Mexico 1900,
while, in st. Louis, we will not stop
short of 100000. 1t locks like CIV
ing away lots of money, don't it?
But its a good way of advertising.
Wallace Dearing: While 1 don't see
much to like about the mail service
there is lots to learn, and considera-
BILE chance for promotion in that line
of business. Now, l work nearly
four days of a week, and sslay off,
about three, and while + am off duty
run up to Mexico to spend a few
days with my parents here, so you
see there are some pleasant, as well
as disagreeable things in the Postal
Service. l will report for duty again
in st. Louis on Wednesday.
Conductor Fell, c.. & Il. !: The al.
legged train robbery, up near indie
pendence, the other night, that the
papers made such q blow about was
in my opinion, simply no attempted
robbery at all. The supposed to be
robber was either some drunken fel
low or tramp stealing a ride il
front of the baggage car. Because
he fired off his pistol is no indication
that he was a train robber. Us fellows
are easily frightened when we get NJ
in that section.
Frank B.. Deleplane: Several sec
tons of the interstate commerce bill
are impracticable. 1t will have
tendency, l think, to drive a grea
deal of business through Canada, an,
will be more of a disadvantage t,
business men than to railroads. /
the bill gets the Presidents signatur
and becomes a law, it will be repealed
in two or three years.
Oh. Lemon: The Audrain Count,
Medical Society is now pretty wei
organized, and will do some good
At the meeting last Saturday nigh
though, there was just about a quo
rum present, and / wish you newspa
per fellows would stir 'em up, so W
vii have q full attendance next Sal
urday night.
Charley Maytien. l will no longe
be superintendent of the Mexic
Water works after Tuesday. DurinI
my short residence in Mexico, I hav
become greatly attached to the place